Male-female duos top the bill as hot acts of late:
– Back at Urban Olive and Vine for the second straight month, on Saturday, Oct. 19, is the duo Quinn and Meyer. The
male and female combo have great range in their voices, and mix in a little mandolin and harmonica with song selections
that include old time and folk music and go far from the usual, with some of their cover songs being lesser-heard
versions of songs from other artists. One thing that makes them unique is that they frequently switch instruments back
and forth, all of the ones in their repetoire. The duo even ended their set with a comic touch, a ditty by the boys
from Monte Python. More typical were songs made known by the likes of the Beatles, and even the Boss. My favorite part
of their last performance here was plucking on the mandolin that was both vigorous and had flurries of notes. They even
make some of their own instruments, based on information gathered in trips to Ireland, and music from that country is a
hallmark of their musical side project that also plays here.
– Urban Olive and Vine had a performance by another male-female duo that packed the place last Friday, Jami
Lampkins and Tom Waselchuk, who front the Dang-Its, a Madison band. The duo, named 2013 country-bluegrass
performers of the year in the Madison Area Music Awards. They play some originals and also, as they put it, favourite
covers. (Does that spelling say something about their style?) It was their debut performance at Urban Olive and Vine and
they will be back in a few months.
– For something completely different, (sorry about another Monty Python reference), check out Bayport on Saturday. All
I have to say is it’s a good thing this event isn’t in the same format as the Daytona 500, as far as trips made around
the track. Woody’s is holding its Zero to Blitzed in 1.6K run-walk, and I’m sure there will be a lot of the latter, as
the event is billed as providing a beer for every lap completed, as well as a free drink ticket for back at the bar
afterwards. (I don’t know, if it’s like auto racing, do you still get a lap-for-beer on the course if you have gas
trouble and have to make a pit stop?) There is a $25 entry fee — cheaper than NASCAR — that includes an event T-
shirt. Registration is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. with the race at 2.